117
The Deepwell Collection
73
John Butler Yeats RHA (1839-1922)
A Portrait of a Lady
Charcoal and pencil, 33 x 24cm (13 x 9½”)
Signed, dated Sept. 1906 and inscribed ‘Dublin’
Provenance: Senator Michael Yeats from whom purchased 1974
through Seán Ó Criadáin by John P. Reihill; Deep
well, Blackrock, Co. Dublin
Exhibited: Irish Art from Private Collections 1870-1930,
Wexford Arts Centre, 1977
The identity of the sitter is unknown. However, Yeats made
numerous sketches of family members, friends and acquaint-
ances. Pencil portraits such as this demonstrate his outstand-
ing ability to observe with warmth and compassion not only
the facial characteristics of his sitters but also to seek out
and convey the sitter’s personality. Often his pencil sketch-
es demonstrate greater sensitivity to the nuances of character
than his more formal oil portraits because, by virtue of the
the nature of the medium employed, the artist automatically
surrenders any concern with peripheral detail.
Christina Kennedy
€1,000 - 1,500
